Thrace (Thraki Θράκη in Greek) is a historical and legendary place; the land of Protagoras, Democritus and Orpheus, centered on the modern borders of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. Christian and Muslim inhabitants co-exist in Thrace. The region offers exciting sightseeing combining historical and mythical places to visit, fascinating forests, Evros river and sandy beaches. The most important cities of the region are Alexandroupolis, Xanthi and Komotini.

The word itself was established by the Greeks for referring to the Thracian tribes, from Ancient Greek Thrake (Θρᾴκη),descending from Thrāix (Θρᾷξ). The name of the continent Europe first referred to Thrace proper, prior to extending its meaning to the whole continent. The region obviously took the name of the principal river there, Hebros, probably from the Indo-European arg "white river" (the opposite of Vardar, meaning "black river"), according to an alternative theory, Hebros means "goat" in Thracian.

In mythology the name appears to derive from an ancient heroine and sorceress Thrace, who was the daughter of Oceanus and Parthenope, and sister of Europa.

Ancient Greek mythology provides them with a mythical ancestor, named Thrax, son of the war-god Ares, who was said to reside in Thrace. The Thracians appear in Homer's Iliad as Trojan allies, led by Acamas and Peiros. Later in the Iliad, Rhesus, another Thracian king, makes an appearance. Cisseus, father-in-law to the Trojan elder Antenor, is also given as a Thracian king. Homeric Thrace was vaguely defined, and stretched from the River Axios in the west to the Hellespont and Black Sea in the east. The Catalogue of Ships mentions three separate contingents from Thrace: Thracians led by Acamas and Peiros, from Aenus; Cicones led by Euphemus, from southern Thrace, near Ismaros; and from the city of Sestus, on the Thracian (northern) side of the Hellespont, which formed part of the contingent led by Asius. Greek mythology is replete with Thracian kings, including Diomedes, Tereus, Lycurgus, Phineus, Tegyrius, Eumolpus, Polymnestor, Poltys, and Oeagrus (father of Orpheus). In addition to the tribe that Homer calls Thracians, ancient Thrace was home to numerous other tribes, such as the Edones, Bisaltae, Cicones, and Bistones.

Thrace is also mentioned in Ovid's Metamorphoses in the episode of Philomela, Procne, and Tereus. Tereus, the King of Thrace, lusts after his sister-in-law, Philomela. He kidnaps her, holds her captive, rapes her, and cuts out her tongue. Philomela manages to get free, however. She and her sister, Procne, plot to get revenge, by killing Itys (son of Tereus and Procne) and serving him to his father for dinner. At the end of the myth, all three turn into birds – Procne, a swallow; Philomela, a nightingale; and Tereus, a hoopoe.

Ancient and Roman History

The indigenous population of Thrace was a people called the Thracians, divided into numerous tribal groups. The region was controlled by the Persian Empire at its greatest extent,[10] and Thracian soldiers were known to be used in the Persian armies. Later on, Thracian troops were known to accompany neighboring ruler Alexander the Great when he crossed the Hellespont which abuts Thrace, and took on the Persian Empire itself.

The Thracians did not describe themselves by name; terms such as Thrace and Thracians are simply the names given them by the Greeks.

Divided into separate tribes, the Thracians did not form any lasting political organizations until the founding of the Odrysian state in the 4th century BC. Like Illyrians, the locally ruled Thracian tribes of the mountainous regions maintained a warrior tradition, while the tribes based in the plains were purportedly more peaceable. Recently discovered funeral mounds in Bulgaria suggest that Thracian kings did rule regions of Thrace with distinct Thracian national identity.

During this period, a subculture of celibate ascetics called the Ctistae lived in Thrace, where they served as philosophers, priests and prophets.

Sections of Thrace particularly in the south started to become hellenized before the Peloponnesian War as a significant amount of Athenian and Ionian colonies were set up in Thrace before the war and Spartan and other Doric colonists followed suit after the war. The special interest of Athens to Thrace is underlined by the numerous finds of Athenian silverware in Thracian tombs. In 168 BC, after the Third Macedonian war and the subjugation of Macedonia to the Romans, Thrace also lost its independence and became tributary to Rome. Towards the end of the 1st century BC Thrace lost its status as a client kingdom as the Romans began to directly appoint their kings. This situation lasted until 46 AD, when the Romans finally turned Thrace into a Roman province (Romana provincia Thracia).

During the Roman domination, within the geographical borders of ancient Thrace, there were two separate Roman provinces, namely Thrace ("provincia Thracia") and Lower Moesia ("Moesia inferior"). Later, in the times of Diocletian, the two provinces were joined and formed the so-called "Dioecesis Thracia". Thanks to the provincial and urban policy of the Romans, the urbanisation of Thrace has large dimensions, so that in the 2nd and 3rd AD century was completed after the establishment of Roman colonies and mostly several Greek cities, as was Nicopolis, Topeiros, Traianoupolis, Plotinoupolis and Hadrianoupolis. It is noteworthy that the Roman provincial policy in Thrace favored mainly not the Romanization but the Hellenization of the country, which had started as early as the Archaic period through the Greek colonisation and was completed by the end of Roman Antiquity. As regards the competition between the Greek and Latin language, the very high rate of Greek inscriptions in Thrace extending south of Haemus mountains proves the complete language Hellenization of this region. The boundaries between the Greek and Latin speaking Thrace are placed just above the northern foothills of Haemus mountains.

Medieval history

By the mid 5th century, as the Western Roman Empire began to crumble, Thracia fell from the authority of Rome and into the hands of Germanic tribal rulers. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Thracia turned into a battleground territory for the better part of the next 1,000 years. The surviving eastern portion of the Roman Empire in the Balkans, later known as the Byzantine Empire, retained control over Thrace until the 8th century when the northern half of the entire region was incorporated into the First Bulgarian Empire and the remainder was reorganized in the Thracian theme. The Empire regained the lost regions in the late 10th century until the Bulgarians regained control of the northern half at the end of the 12th century. Throughout the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century, the region was changing in the hands of the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empire (excluding Constantinople). In 1265 the area suffered a Mongol raid from the Golden Horde, led by Nogai Khan, and between 1305 and 1307 was raided by the Catalan company.

Ottoman Period

In 1352, the Ottoman Turks conducted their first incursion into the region subduing it completely within a matter of two decades and occupying it for five centuries. In 1821, several parts of Thrace, such as Lavara, Maroneia, Sozopolis, Aenos, Callipolis and Samothrace rebelled during the Greek War of Independence.

Modern History

With the Congress of Berlin in 1878, Northern Thrace was incorporated into the semi-autonomous Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which united with Bulgaria in 1885. The rest of Thrace was divided among Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century, following the Balkan Wars, World War I and the Greco-Turkish War. Today Thracian is a geographical term used in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Hotels (27)

Hotels & Apartments in Thrace

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FilosXenia Ismaros Hotel

Platanitis, Maroneia Sapes, RhodopeOn the pristine beach of Platanitis in Maronia, next to the deep blue Thracian Sea, stands the cozy Ismaros Hotel. Built on a twelve – acre estate, only 50m off the sea, this classically beautiful and uniquely welcoming 4-star hotel...View More

Nea Chili, Alexandroupoli, EvrosAt the west suburb of Alexandroupolis named New Chile, Alexander Beach Hotel welcomes you offering unique accommodation services. It has to do with a hotel harmoniously combining the luxury, the friendly atmosphere and the unique services...View More

Alexandroupoli, Alexandroupoli, EvrosThe legendary hotel Astir Alexandroupolis features luxurious rooms, maisonettes, and suites, some with private pools, while they all have a sea view. The rooms, decorated with unique styles in warm earthy tones, feature a spa bathroom...View More

Astir Alexandroupolis

Plotini Hotel

Didimoticho, Didimoticho, EvrosEnjoy traditional Greek hospitality combined with modern comforts at Plotini Hotel! Our history and fame guarantee you the very best!View More

Plotini Hotel

Anatolia Hotel Komotini

Komotini, Komotini, RhodopeThe Anatolia Hotel Komotini is a true jewel for the city of Komotini. Modern and elegant with the finesse of luxury, it appeals to every type of traveler to the city, being one of the best hotels in Komotini.View More

Anatolia Hotel Komotini

Grand Hotel Egnatia

Alexandroupoli, Alexandroupoli, EvrosNestled within the timeless landscape – a verdant pine forest surrounded by the sea - and at walking distance of the city center, the hotel is the ideal starting point for excursions in the enchanting Dadia Forest Reserve and the...View More

What to see in Thrace

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Archaeological Museum of Samothrace

Paleopoli, Samothrace, Samothrace IslandThe Archaeological Museum of Samothrace is located in Paleopoli. It has four rooms and an atrium, presenting the following: Reconstructed architectural remains of the sanctuary; Restored architectural features, sculptures and coins...View More

Paleopoli, Samothrace, Samothrace IslandThe Samothrace Temple Complex, known as the Sanctuary of the Great Gods (Modern Greek: Ιερό των Μεγάλων Θεών Ieró ton Megalón Theón), is one of the principal Pan-Hellenic religious sanctuaries, located on the island...View More

Silk Museum

Soufli, Soufli, EvrosThe Museum
The Silk Museum presents the different phases of sericulture and silk manufacturing in detail and focuses on how the town of Soufli became a major silk-producing centre in the late 19th through to the mid-20th century.
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Local Products in Thrace

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Green Cola

Lepti, Orestiada, EvrosThe border region of Orestiada Evros was set up as a starting point for Green Cola Company, which through its bottling plant (EPAP) keeps following the culture of its first production team formed, many decades ago. The combination...View More

Green Cola

Vergina Beer - Macedonian Thrace Brewery

Thrilorio, Komotini, RhodopeWhen the very first bottles of “Vergina” went on sale in 1998, our mission was to craft one of the finest premium lagers money could buy – anywhere, at any price. Much to our surprise, what started out as a small, committed band...View More